Metal sheeting safety lock



y 6, 1958 J. w. MOLLOY 2,833,119

METAL SHEETING SAFETY LOCK Filed Feb. 18, 1955 INVENTORU 8 7 JAMES w. Mona? L; ATTORNEY Unite States Patent METAL SHEETING SAFETY LOCK James W. Molloy, Bellerose, N. Y.

Application February 18, 1955, Serial No. 489,163

Claims. (Cl. 61-63) This invention pertains to metal sheeting operations. The latter are concerned with Setting into position and hammering into place metal sheet pilings in various construction jobs, such as trench walls, colfer dams, sea walls, bulkheads, and others. These pilings are of considerable length and narrow width. They are formed of heavy steel. Because of their size and weight, they are diflicult to handle. Cranes are required to raise and swing them to vertical position, while men from various precarious positions guide them into place as they are being moved about. The edges of the pilings are formed to interlock with one another for obvious reasons of strength and support. To bring about this interlocking of one piling with another, the piling carried by the crane is expertly guided by the crane and by various attending men to a man called a monkey perched atop the last vertically set piling. The latter manually pulls the raised piling toward him until a vertical interlocking edge of the latter pilingis above and aligned with a complementary edge of the last set piling; he then gives the signal to the crane operator to lower the piling, the previously set and the new piling becoming interlocked as the latter is lowered in place.

' The dangers of such operations in setting the pilings, to the men and particularly to the monkey man, are many. These dangers are obviously multiplied by rough weather and are particularly great where such operations take place on water. Further, because of difliculty in handling large sheet pilings in windy weather, operations in setting pilings are slow and often stopped.

Means that would minimize the dangers attendant upon metal sheeting operations are badly needed; and means that will not only reduce the hazards'of metal sheeting butwill also permit reasonably normal operationsin rough weather is in greater need.

An objectof this invention is, therefore, to reduce the damages attendant to workmen engaged in metal sheeting operations.

Another object of this invention is to not only reduce the dangers to the workmen engaged in such operations,

but also to obtain reasonably normal operations in rough weather. i

Now, I have invented a device which may be associated in such manner with the piling about to be set and with the piling alreadyset, that the latter acts as a support and guide to the new pilings as it is raised tothe monkey man? and worked upon by the latter, to align the two pilings for interlocking one with the other. By this arrangement the dangers attendant upon setting the pilings are materially reduced, and the operations. are permitted to proceed at a faster rate than is customary in rough weather. l p p A further object of this inventionis a device which may be employed as an aid in the guiding to position and in interlocking metal sheet pilings.

The invention further lies in the particular'construction of the device, and in the general arrangem'ent and cooperative association of the various elements thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the inventoin is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the invention and shown in relation to a set piling and a piling being set, the latter in broken line;

Fig. 2 is a top plan detail of the slidable guide end of the device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating in broken line pilings preparatory to being moved to alignment of complementary tongue and groove edges thereof for interlocking of one with the other; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the latching mechanism taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In describing the invention in further detail, reference is directed to the drawings, wherein there is shown in broken line conventional metal sheet pilings of a type used in the forming of metal sheet walls and with which the device 2 of the present invention may be employed as an aid in the process of forming a Wall. A piling includes an elongated wall body 3 having a tongue4 forming one longitudinal edge thereof and a complementary groove 5 forming the opposite edge thereof. The tongue and groove portions of the piling are of greater cross sectional thickness than the wall proper 3. The tongue of one piling may be interlocked. with the groove of another, and by a succession of such interlocked pilings a metal sheet wall may be formed.

The device 2 is designed so as to ride over an edge of a piling that has been vertically set in the ground, such as the piling designated 6. The device 2 is pulled vertically upwards by another piling, such as the piling 7. Toan end of the latter the device 2 is latched. The device 2 serves to hold the vertically moving piling 7 in close proximity to the previously set piling 6 as the piling 7 is raised to a level where an edge thereof may be aligned for interlocking with a complementary edge of the previously set piling 6.

The device 2 includes a slidable member or portion 8, illustrated here as a bifurcated end of the device. Member 8 has a pair 'of opposed arm plates 9, 10, spaced in parallel vertical relation to each other, and joined to one another at one end by a vertical bridge or back piece 11. The spacing 12 between the arms is wide enough to allow either the tongue edge 4 or the groove edge 5 of a piling to be freely received therein through the open free end 14, The spacing is sufliciently wide enough to allow side play of the edge of the associated piling therein; it is also deep enough to allow the edge of the piling to be fully received therein together with a portion of the wall proper 3 of the piling. A bead 15 formed vertically of the inner face of the free endof arm plate 9 narrows the entrance 14, but not enough to prevent the arms 9, 19, from freely passing over the edge of a piling therein. A latch pin 13 threadable through the opposed arm plate 10 into the spacing 12 is employed to narrow the mouth of the latter sufiiciently to hold the bifurcated member to the piling so that the latter cannot escape outwardly from the latter. A collar stop 16 carried by the latch pin and limitable against the outer face of arm 10 curbs the extent to which the latch pin may be threaded into the bifurcation, so that the latch pin will block escape of the bifurcated member from the piling but will not prevent either vertical riding movement of the bifurcated member along the piling nor its back and forth movement thereon. The latch pin has a left hand threaded engagement in arm vertically upwards, as at 18, beyond the arms 9, id, for

a distance preferably about eight inches. Extending off the right face or back wall of extension 18 at the upper end thereof is an elongated pull bar 19. When the latter is pulled in a vertical direction it draws the bifurcated member 8 upwards along the edge of the piling associated with the latter. Bar 19 is disposed ina horizontal plane relative to the member 11. 'Bar 19 is adapted to be removably attached to an end of a piling that is to be interlocked with the piling to which the bifurcated end is latched. Bar 19 has a flat top surface 21 which is continuous with the top end of the vertical member 18. The top surface is intended to be held in abutment with the bottom end 23 of a piling; To this end suitable latching means is provided by a pair of parallel opposed ear plates 22 which extend vertically up from the bar surface 21,

at about the mid area of the bar. The ear plates are spaced sufficiently to freely receive therebetween an end 23 of the associated piling, and are preferably bevelled as at 24 (Fig. 4) to facilitate receiving the latter. The top surface of bar 19 is held in abutment with the bottom end 23 of the piling by latching means comprising a key pin 25 that is removably engaged through complementary key holes .26 in the ear plates and through a hole 27 of the wall of the intermediate piling. The key pin is weighted against escape from its key holes by a handle 28, whereby it is continuously held turned in a direction where a lug 29 of the key and is diametrically opposite a complementary portion 30 of the key holes. To facilitate ease in aligning the key holes with the piling wall hole 27 and to allow ready manual insertion or removal of the key pin, the. hole 27 of the piling has a greater radius in its upper half at 31. p

The hole 27 is located about midway between the tongue and groove edges of its piling; and the relation of this piling to the bar 19 is such that, when the latter is latched to the piling, an edge of the latter will extend beyond the left face or front wall of the vertical member 18 and will hang above the rear portion of the spacing 12 of the bifurcated member. It will hang over the latter in such manner that, upon moving the bifurcated member 8 towards the edge of its piling to fully receive the latter, the edge thereof will come into alignment with the complementary edge of the overhanging piling for interlocking of the one with the other. This alignment cannot, for obvious reasons, take place until the bar 19 is lifted by its piling to a level higher than the piling to which the bifurcated member is latched. The vertical member 18 that connects the bifurcated member 8 to the bar member 19 at different levels permits bar 19 to be raised to a level higher than the piling to which the bifurcated member is latched, and to do so without removing the latter free of its piling. When this higher level of the piling about to be set, here piling 7, is reached, the monkey man perched atop the piling previously set, here piling 6, manually grabs the vertical member 18 and pulls on it to draw the bifurcated member 8 further about the edge of the piling contained therein until the edge of the latter is aligned with that of the piling above, whereupon the raised piling is caused to be lowered so that the complementary edges may interlock with one another as the raised piling progressively moves downward. A pin 41 inserted through a hole in the upper end of the set piling 6 prevents the bifurcated end 8 from escaping over the top of the piling.

In building metal sheet walls the customary procedure is to interlock the groove of the piling about to be set with the tongue of the piling that has been previously set, although the reverse may take place.

in the drawings (Figs. 1 and 3) the bifurcated memher 8 is, therefore, shown as latched for slidable move ment over the tongue edge 4 of the set piling 6, while the groove edge 5 of the piling 7 hangs over the vertical member 18 above the spacing 12. And in the manner previously mentioned, after the piling 7 has been raised to a level higher than the piling 6 and the bifurcated membet 8 has been pulled laterally further over its tongue edge 4 to bring the latter into alignment with the groove edge of piling 7 above, lowering the raised piling 7 will cause the tongue edge of piling 6 to be progressively received into the groove edge of piling 7.

A ring 20 is provided beneath the bar 19 for attachment of tag lines 32 for use in controlling the vertical movement of the piling attached to bar 19.

The pilings 6, 7 illustrated in the drawings have a 2 form body wall section 3, and the bar 19 is angularly disposed (Fig. 1) relative to the vertical member 18 so as to abut across the bottom ends of all three walls, respectively, 33, 34 and 35 of the piling; and the latch plate ears 22 are associated with the middle area of the center wall 34. Other ears 36 and 37, between which the walls 34, 35 are received, serve as guide means in assembling the device 2 to the end of the piling. It is further apparent that latching means may also be provided in the cars 36 and 37, similar to that in the cars 22.

It is to be noted in Fig. 1 that the inner face of plate 10 is progressively thickened as at 38 toward'the back piece 11 and that the latter and extension 18 are slightly concaved in the left face 39 thereof. This construction is desirable as it further aids in facilitating the final alignment operation of the complementary edges of the pilings to be interlocked. This construction serves as means for guiding the position of the bifurcated member about the rounded edge of the piling in the latter for alignment with the complementary edge of the piling that overhangs the top of member 18.

It is obvious that the bar 19 may be arranged relative to the member 18 so as to accommodate, as desired, walls of pilings having other forms, such as the straight wall and a U wall, not shown, among others.

While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is my intent to claim the invention not only as shown and described but also in all such forms as may be reasonably construed to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device comprising a vertical member having a wall face lengthwise opposite sides thereof and including a horizontally disposed bar extending off one face thereof at the top end and a bifurcated member'extending away from the opposite face at the bottom end, the bifurcated member adapted to receive and freely contain therein a thickened edge formed lengthwise of a relatively thinner metal sheet member, screw means carried by the bifurcated member transversely operable to partially close off the mouth end of the bifurcated member so as to prevent the thickened edge from slipping laterally out of the bifurcation, and the bar having keep means engageable with a lift member whereby the bifurcated member is slidable lengthwise of the thickened edge.

2. In the combination of a vertically set sheet piling, a second but vertically movable sheet piling, and a guide device for aiding in the interlocking of a vertical edge formed lengthwise of the movable piling with a complementary edge of the set piling, wherein the said edges are relatively thicker than the sheet walls of the pilings, and wherein the guide device comprises: a vertical member having front and rear walls lengthwise thereof; a bifurcated member extending from the front wall at the lower end thereof and adapted to freely receive through the mouth end of its bifurcation the edge of the set piling and a marginal portion of the adjacent sheet wall of the piling; means carried by the bifurcated member extendible transversely into the mouth end of the bifurcation a distance short of the sheet wall of the set piling but sufficiently to prevent lateral escape of the bifurcated member from the edge of the set piling; and a piling support member extending from the opposite Wall of the vertical member at the top end of the latter, the piling support member formed with keeper means latchable to the bottom end of the vertically movable piling, whereby verical movement of the latter is guided relative to the set piling by a consequent sliding of the bifurcated member along the edge of the set piling.

3. In the combination as defined in claim 2, wherein the extendible means carried by the bifurcated member is a screw member threadable transversely through one arm of the bifurcated member toward the inner face of the other arm and having a collar thereon limitable against the outer face of the screw carrying arm to limit the distance of movement of the screw into the bifurcation.

4. A tool of the character described comprising an upright member having front and rear walls lengthwise thereof, a pair of spaced arms integral at one end with the lower end of the front wall and extending at right angles from the latter, a screw threadable transversely through one of the said arms toward the inner face of the other arm near the free ends of the arms, means carried by the arm through which the screw is threadable for limiting the extent of threaded movement of such screw whereby a sheet member having a thickened edge freely receiveable between the pair of arms is prevented from lateral escape from between the arms, and an extension at the top end of the upright member projecting at right angles from the rear wall of the latter, the extension having a flat upper surface adapted to serve as an abutment for the bottom end of a second sheet member having a thickened edge in such manner that this thickened edge overhangs the front wall of the upright member, and a latch formed on the extension adapted to engage the second sheet member and to hold it in the latter position.

5. A safety guide tool for aiding in the interlocking of a vertically disposed thickened tongue edge of a vertically set sheet piling with a complementary groove edge of a second but vertically movable sheet piling, comprising a vertically disposed member, a bifurcated member extending laterally from the lower end of the latter and adapted to receive freely through the free end of the bifurcation the thickened tongue edge of the set sheet piling, latch means carried by the bifurcated member for partially closing the free end of the bifurcation so as to prevent edgewise escape of the bifurcated member from the thickened tongue edge, a horizontal flat surface at the top .end of the vertical member, and other latch means arranged on the said fiat surface adapted to hold the said flat surface of the vertical member in abutment against the bottom end of the second piling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 87,030 Driggs Feb. 16, 1869 591,167 Hammerstrom et al. Oct. 5, 1897 1,135,448 Friddle Apr. 13, 1915 1,512,559 Moore Oct. 21, 1924 2,074,906 Hausler Mar. 23, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,036/35 Australia Aug. 20, 1935 

